Voters support land takings for Route 140 project

Phyllis Booth Reporter

Thursday

Sep 14, 2017 at 12:01 AM

At first, not many seats were filled as Princeton officials got ready for the Special Town Meeting on Sept. 7 at the Thomas Prince School. But as the 7 p.m. time closed in a long line of voters waited to be checked in to easily meet the 54 needed for a quorum. One hundred and thirty eight voters turned out.

When it came time to vote, a very clear majority of those voters shouted "yay" very loudly in favor of allowing selectmen to acquire easements so the road project could move forward.

Road Advisory Committee member Kevin Toohey said the town became eligible for state and federal funding for the approximately $8 million project. The road is a heavily traveled commuter route and through a corridor study and the assistance of Greenman-Pedersen, Inc. the 100 percent design phase is complete, said Toohey. Town officials have worked for several years toward obtaining funding for the reconstruction project, including public hearings, and meeting with people in the Village of East Princeton, he added. The town has invested a total of $600,000 in the engineering design plans for the project so far.

The question before voters asked to authorize selectmen to acquire the easements necessary for the construction and roadway safety improvements for the 1.2 mile portion of Route 140 from the Sterling Town Line to the intersection of Route 140/31.

"We're asking you to support this," said Toohey to the crowd. "To leverage the small amount of $600,000 for $8 million in grant money to fix the road," he added.

Resident's voiced their comments and concerns.

"The roundabout proposed in the plan was unnecessary," said resident Phil Gransewicz. "Government power should be reserved for the betterment of the entire community and this does not meet those criteria in my opinion. Easements and the unnecessary obstacles they will create are not required for the success of the project. I have no intention of writing a blank check for this proposal," he added. "I strongly oppose this and would ask the town to redesign this project."

Gransewicz said there were only 1.4 accidents a year on the road so safety wasn't an issue. But if you put in traffic obstacles, such as raised islands and a roundabout it will create problems for trucks and buses, he said.

"We are not here to debate the design," said Town Moderator Harry Pape. "We are here to acquire the easements," he added.

A Main St. resident said she was in favor of the project. "The improvements for East Princeton will be wonderful," she said. " Run-off from the road goes right into my driveway, so I'm all for this."

Hobbs Road resident, Jim Hillis, asked how the work would affect the East Princeton Village Historic District. "I challenge the integrity of the project," he added.

Larry Todd, Chairman of the Princeton Historical Commission, said the Village has an honorary designation as a National Historic District but there are no special limitations on properties in the area. The Historic Commission worked hard to have the appropriate type of lighting put in so it will have the historic character, he added.

Gransewicz said in his review of the plans he didn't see drainage being installed by Keys Brook, only around the round-about and at the town line.

"The point of this meeting is to approve getting the easements," said Road Advisory Committee member Bill Holder.

A shout to move the question received approval and voters approved the question.